De wachten van Blackwater zien vervolging over moord van 17 Iraakse burgers onder ogen
Zes Blackwater veiligheidswachten zijn Wereldwijd op de hoogte gebracht dat zij vervolging in Amerika konden onder ogen zien voor het ontspruiten van dode 17 burgers in het Vierkant van Nisoor van Bagdad in een berucht incident dat woede in Irak veroorzaakte.
De werknemers Blackwater zijn naar verluidt „doelbrieven“ door de eisers die van de V.S. verzonden hen vertellen dat zij lasten konden onder ogen zien voor vorig jaar het openen van brand bij de overvolle kruising op 16 September.
De beweging werd ingestemd met door rechten van de mensactivisten, die lang over de privé veiligheid van de V.S. in Irak hebben geklaagd.
„Het is ongelooflijk belangrijk dat deze incidenten niet voorbij de wet zijn. Het zou zeker een stap in de juiste richting als de V.S. zouden doorgaan en lasten zouden brengen,“ bovengenoemde Jennifer Daskal, van het Horloge van Rechten van de mens zijn, dat de verkeerspolitieagent op plicht in Vierkant Nisoor op het tijdstip van het ontspruiten heeft geïnterviewdr. „Dit is absoluut het high-profile geval van contractantmisbruik in Irak, maar het is zeker niet enige.“
Het ontspruiten vonkte een crisis in relaties tussen de V.S. en de Iraakse Overheid, die dreigden om Blackwater te verdrijven. In onderhandelingen over een nieuw bilateraal veiligheidsakkoord, hebben de Irakezen onderworpen op al buitenlands personeel om aan Iraakse wet aangedrongen te zijn.
Washington is overeengekomen om contractanten onder Iraakse jurisdictie te plaatsen, maar nog geweigerd om Irak toe te staan om de troepen of de ambtenaren van de V.S. op proef te zetten. Blackwater, die in Noord-Carolina wordt gebaseerd, heeft aangekondigd dat het zich uit privé veiligheid beweegt en op opleiding, luchtvaart en logistiek de nadruk zal leggen.
De Blackwater wachten, alle vroegere militairen van de V.S. op contract om het personeel van de Afdeling van de Staat van de V.S. te beschermen, openden brand nadat hun motorcade Vierkant Nisoor inging. Ambtenaren van de V.S. zeiden aanvankelijk dat motorcade naar de zwaar bewaakte Groene Streek reiste wanneer een geëxplodeerden bomauto, gevolgd door salvo's van klein-wapens die gehandicapten één van de voertuigen in brand steekt.
In opmerkingen die op een congreshoorzitting nooit worden voorbereid maar die wegens het onderzoek worden geleverd, beweerde Erik Prince, de voorzitter van Blackwater, dat de wachten „teruggekeerde brand bij het bedreigen van doelstellingen“ hadden, met inbegrip van „mensen met vuren AK47s op het konvooi“ en „naderbij komende voertuigen dat de bommenwerpers van de zelfmoordauto schenen te zijn“.
Witnesses said that the four-car convoy, protected by two helicopters, did a U-turn and started going the wrong way round the square before stopping in the middle and opening fire without provocation.
Earlier reports suggested that the FBI was focusing on three Blackwater guards. The Washington Post reported that six had been sent “target letters” - a prelude to possible prosecution.
The US employs 190,000 contractors in Iraq, including 25,000 to 30,000 private security guards. Although heavily armed, the private security contractors enjoy immunity from Iraqi law under a decree issued by Paul Bremer the day before he stepped down as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in June 2004.
Contractors hired by the US Defence Department can be prosecuted in US courts for crimes committed overseas under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000. That law was expanded in 2004 to include contractors working “in support” of the Pentagon.
A federal grand jury has heard testimony from three dozen people, but a decision about whether to indict the Blackwater guards may not be made until October, the newspaper said. Experts compare the case to a police shooting where an officer is accused of using excessive force, but say it will be even harder to prove in a US court.
The victims’ families have been offered $10,000 (about £5,400) compensation for each person killed, but most have refused what one called “blood money”. The families are suing Blackwater in the US courts.
Anne Tyrell, a Blackwater spokeswoman, said: “If it is determined that an individual acted improperly, Blackwater would support holding that person accountable. But at this stage, without being able to review evidence collected in an ongoing investigation, we will not prejudge the actions of any individual.”
Controversial company
1997 Blackwater founded by former US Navy Seal Erik Prince
March 2004: Four employees killed and mutilated in Fallujah
June 2004: Security firms granted immunity from prosecution under Iraqi law
September 2007: Blackwater guards open fire in Nisoor Square in Baghdad, killing 17 Iraqis and wounding two dozen
October 2007: US House passes Bill to make contractors in Iraq subject to prosecution in US courts. Iraq demands that the US end its association with Blackwater and approves draft law revoking their immunity
November 2007: FBI investigation concludes that at least 14 of the September shootings were unjustified
April 2008: Iraqi Government upset by news that the US State Department is renewing Blackwater’s contract to protect its embassy staff
August 2008: US prosecutors send letters to six Blackwater security guards in a move that could lead to groundbreaking criminal indictments. The Iraqi Government emphasises its own right to prosecute the company
Have Your Say: Blackwater guards face prosecution over killing of 17 Iraqi civilians
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One Response to “Blackwater guards face prosecution over killing of 17 Iraqi civilians”
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Nidhal Al-Nakkash
Posted: Aug 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
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Blackwater , other security agenceny and all other USA agencies working in Iraq —have got all the rights ti kill , slaughter and kidnap whoever they want and no one at all has the slightest right to utter a word, raise a finger or write a sentence concerning their acts ,,,,I am not writing this out of the blue ,,,,This is the real situation we are living in now in Iraq ,,,as Iraqis — we should be blind, dumb and deaf …the Americans have been here for more than 5 years now and they have turned this country into a destruction ,,,a wasteland,,,,a graveyard,,,, a prison ,,,a place contaminated with all kinds of infectious diseases …. not even in the dark ages wherein plague ,,,,ifectious diseases ,,, oppression …torture ,,,,whatever kind of suffering that those people faced ,,,now we the Iraqis are facing worse ,,,Do you know why ? Because we are now living at a time wherein thw whole world is developed ,,,democracy rules,,,human rights ,,,,freedom ,,,,BUT these values ,,, concepts ,,,doctrines ,,,are ONLY to be applied there ,,,not here ,,,not in Iraq ,,,,BECAUSE Bush has appointed himself as the OWNER of IRAQ ,,,the east ,,,and whichever country he likes to rob and wherein lies the the richest wealths and best treasures ,,, as for the people ,,,he consideres them as NOTHING ,,,,Now if Blackwater is going to be punished ,,,,,that is a JOKE ,,,,,they can simply employ the law and twist the facts in any way they like to make them innocent ,,,,and hell with each innocent Iraqi……..
This is the LAW of the USA
ONLY the AMERICANS enjoy the application of anything they do ….
No law is applied to them in case they commit a crime …
All other nations should die …as a sacrifice for the bold Americans ,,,
Th eAmericans are the elite so they should live ,,,kill ,,,dominate the world
In short ,,,it is the Iraqis who were at the wrong place at the wrong time not Blackwater
So let it be ,,, it is their destiny …
Let them die
Dr. Nidhal Al-Nakkash